Inside of Me

Victor Grayson adores his 8-year-old daughter, India, so why does he vanish leaving only a neatly folded pile of clothes on a windy beach? India is devastated and bargains with God: I'll stop eating chocolate if you send my Daddy back to me. Now 15 and seriously anorexic, she's convinced that she heard his voice on a crowded London station, and sets out to track him down. Isolated and overwhelmed, her mother, Tonya, succumbs to gnawing doubts about the man she thought she knew. Who exactly was he? What dark secrets were haunting him? Could he be involved in the disappearance of three teenage girls? The revelation when it comes is much more challenging than Tonya ever dreamed of. This book will resonate with everyone who has ever agonized over their own body image or identity, and any parent who must learn to relinquish control to their child.

About the Author :
Hazel McHaffie initially trained as a nurse and midwife, obtained a PhD in Social Sciences, and became Deputy Director of Research in the Institute of Medical Ethics. She is the author of around 100 published papers and books and has travelled extensively (abroad as well as in the UK) as a speaker. Ground-breaking work looking at big ethical questions around the care of extremely small and sick babies resulted in 'Crucial Decisions at the Beginning of Life', which was voted BMA Medical Book of the Year in 2002. She now writes novels which bring medical ethics to life. Her fifth novel, 'Right to Die', was shortlisted for the BMA Popular Medicine prize in 2008. 'Inside of Me' is her ninth published work of fiction. She grew up in Cornwall, England, but has lived in Scotland for most of her life.

Review :
In her latest novel Hazel McHaffie has once again managed to combine a sensitive and informed exploration of ethical issues with a strong human story that engages the reader from beginning to end. She provides an insightful commentary on both the individual and social context of anorexia and identity. By telling the story through the voices of the key characters she allows the reader to identify with, and thus understand, their different perspectives; a prerequisite for anyone wishing to really engage with any ethical debate. As such it will provide a useful educational resource for teachers of medical ethics as well as a thoroughly enjoyable read. ANNE SLOWTHER, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR, CLINICAL ETHICS, WARWICK MEDICAL SCHOOL; Clearly well-researched, McHaffie's engaging family drama is told from several different viewpoints. It tackles complex psychological issues, but with a light touch that keeps you turning the pages to find out what happens to these vulnerable characters. When finally revealed, the solution to the mystery at the heart of the novel comes as a terrific shock and it sent me back to the beginning to see if the author had cheated. She hadn't. [The story] raises challenging questions without simplifying the issues or offering any easy answers. This is grown up fiction in all senses, but the book might also be enjoyed by thoughtful older teenagers. LINDA GILLARD, AUTHOR OF UNTYING THE KNOT AND EMOTIONAL GEOLOGY; ... well researched, full of empathy and shows how wonderfully Hazel McHaffie is able to get inside the skin of people who are torn apart and tormented by deep and personal internal struggles about their own image, identity and relationships. She worms her way into the mind and heart of young people, understanding their culture and appreciating the complex web of their relationships with peers, parents and adults generally, and is able to weave it all into a gripping story, full of unexpected and emotional twists and turns. The tempo steadily increases towards a climax which left me with a fresh appreciation of how many unknown battles lie beneath the surface of so many people's lives - including, of course, our own - and of how we human beings need to be less judgemental of each other. JOHN SALTER, CANON IN THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND, GUILDFORD; ... makes a gripping and compelling read. It is laced with accurate insightful accounts of the physical and emotional effects of eating disorders on young people and the dilemmas faced by the parents and caregivers living with and planning care for teenagers who themselves have reached the age of consent. As a General Practitioner, I recommend it as a must-read for anyone who might benefit from gems of accurate information about the workings of the young troubled mind of an anorectic as she desperately tries to take some control over her life which was 'ruined' by adults. GPs, medical and nursing students, and all parents of teenagers would do well to add INSIDE OF ME to their wishlist. MARIA GALEA, GENERAL PRACTITIONER, EDINBURGH; It flows very well, the characters are well drawn, and the moral issues are handled sensitively. RICHARD ASHCROFT, PROFESSOR OF BIOETHICS, UNIVERSITY OF LONDON; This novel gives a touching, sensitive insight into the effects of 21st century expectations and parental influence on the young impressionable mind. I enjoyed it very much and believe it should be in every school library. PAT BOYD, FORMERLY PRINCIPAL EXAMINER FOR RELIGIOUS MORAL AND PHILOSOPHICAL STUDIES IN THE SQA.